As the year winds down and before you’re caught up in a flurry of social activities, set aside some time to take stock of 2017 and what you want to accomplish next year. The more proactive you are with your career goals, the more likely they will come to fruition. It’s worth a small investment of your time during this busy time of year.

NOTE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS: What is it you accomplished this year? Write it down. Make it specific. I can’t tell you how many clients come to me for help and no longer have access to the measurable results they achieved. Did you increase sales 30%? Did you move the needle on the employee satisfaction survey by 15%? Get those numbers now!

UPDATE YOUR RESUME: With your fresh list of accomplishments, add new bullets to your resume to ensure it’s fresh and ready to go should an opportunity arise. While I love helping clients recraft their resume, I’d much rather know people are doing it on a regular basis. Did you start a new job? Get a promotion? Make sure your resume is updated with this information.

UPDATE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE: There are two huge reasons to keep your LinkedIn profile updated. 1) It will always reflect your most recent career accomplishments and 2) If you regularly update it, when the time comes that you are ready to move on to a new job/company, nobody will notice a sudden flurry of activity on your profile – a dead giveaway to a manager that someone is ready to leave.

SET YOUR GOAL FOR 2018: Where do you want to take your career in the next 12 months? Do you have your eyes set on a promotion? New job? Pivot to a new career? Whatever it is, now is the time to establish that goal so you don’t lose a minute getting there.

DETERMINE ANY GAPS: With your goal in mind, determine any gaps in your resume/experience/education/skills. What would a hiring manager be looking for in the desired position that you don’t have? It could be as easy as volunteering at a local non-profit to gain some tangible experience. Or maybe a class or certification. Don’t put this off. Some courses are only offered once or twice a year. If you miss the February class, you may have to wait until November, when the year is nearly over.

MIND THE GAP: Ok, I lived in England for a while, so I’ve adopted their phrase. But, with an awareness of the gap that exists, as noted above, fill that gap! Don’t let it hold you back. You can, and will, accomplish whatever you put your mind to. When I decided to transition from being an accountant to a leadership development professional, graduate school became a priority. Yes, it took two years to complete, but meanwhile, I was able to gain valuable experience in my new chosen field so when I graduated, I hit the ground running and was approached to fill an open position that changed my life.

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF: This is important, particularly for those who may be in toxic situations. Even the most qualified people can lose confidence if working in a negative environment. It’s phenomenally easy to believe the negativity that surrounds you. Get yourself away from those people. Surround yourself with people who believe in you. Move on!

DON’T LET SETBACKS DERAIL YOU: Ok, so someone else got the promotion you were striving for. Be honest. What was it that gave the other person the upper leg? What did you do or not do that kept you from being the successful candidate? Then, set to work to correct it. Now, there will always be favoritism. You can’t avoid that. But, if you’re in an environment that operates this way, it may be time to move on to another company. Maybe this company just isn’t the right fit for you.

Start today! Take 5 or 10 minutes each day to work through this list. You’ll be amazed at how soon you’ll have a plan for moving forward. And, when you reach your goal, write and let me know. I’d love to help you celebrate!

Author

Andrea's passion is to see you achieve your professional dreams. Whether you are a corporate leader seeking leadership development for your employees or an individual seeking guidance in building your career or preparing for retirement, she will coach you to success.

Follow Andrea's journey through life, change, and growth at boldlybicoastal.wordpress.com